So yesterday was my birthday. 41. It's funny when you start having birthdays where you actually remember when your parents are the age you are now. That actually started when I turned 39. Either way, that's neither here nor there.
So, on my 41st birthday I am here at Squadron Officer School(SOS)at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Alabama with a bunch of 20-early-30- somethings making an attempt to feel younger than I am. Not that I chose to come here, mind you. It was one of those unwritten 'requirements' of being at my particular junction of my career. Suffice it to say it has taken me a lot longer to get back up to being able to run 3 miles than it did 10 years ago.
A couple of weeks ago an acquaintance from years back saw an update from me on Facebook that I was here in Alabama and she made the suggestion to come up and have lunch. So the Sunday before last, she did. She was one of my first supervisors when I was enlisted and stationed back in Geilenkirchen, Germany 20 or so years ago. We hadn't seen each other at all since Germany. It was truly a highlight of my time here in Alabama. Thinking about it now, I should have had someone take a picture of us.
This course is two months long and we are down to our last three weeks. So far, I think we got lucky with our flight. We haven't started hating each other yet and although we don't agree on everything, I think that all of us like and respect each other. We hear horror stories from random other flights about fighting, bickering, backstabbing, and general disdain for one another. We are quite fortunate.
Last week, I hurt my hand playing one of our field games. I'd like to think it wouldn't have hurt as badly if I had been younger, but the truth is that it was a one in a million hit and it would have hurt anyone. I probably have some tendon issue going on with it now, but there isn't a whole lot I can do about it here. They said I should have an MRI if it didn't get any better, but even though it is still pretty bad, I simply don't have time in this schedule to get it taken care of. I'll live.
Eric and I will be moving to DC soon after I graduate from SOS which is somewhat stressful, but exciting too. I will probably be more excited once we figure out where we are going to live. Having Macy makes things a little more complicated, but she is a non-negotiable. Hopefully if we have to sacrifice having a home with a yard, the fact that DC is a good size city, we are hoping there are dog-walkers for hire who can take her out mid-day while we are at work. As I have had time to wrap my head around living in the DC area, I get more and more excited about the idea of living in a big city again. Bring it on, DC. *Queue the "Rocky" music*
While tonight's post isn't nearly as clever or witty as I intended it to be going in, sometimes it's good just to get these thoughts out. For now, I'm heading to bed. Got a long week ahead and I need my beauty sleep.
